Introducing Dr Geena Chiu. Geena started working at Halswellhealth in March 2023 and consults from our Longhurst and Ensign locations on a Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.
Geena was born in Hong Kong and raised in Auckland. She moved to Dunedin and Christchurch for her medical training and subsequently graduated from the University of Otago in 2013. She has also completed further studies to attain a Post-graduate Diploma in Obstetrics & Gynaecology and Diploma in Child Health. Geena has worked in several cities including Christchurch, Tauranga, and Wellington. Geena enjoys the breadth of general practice, particularly the opportunity to get to know her patients and develop long-term relationships with them. Outside of work, she enjoys cooking, hiking, traveling, and spending time with her young family.
The Health Information Privacy Code has been updated with effect from 1 May 2026. The update has introduced a new Information Privacy Principal – IPP3A. This principal requires agencies to take reasonable steps to notify individuals when personal information is collected indirectly (from a third party) unless an exemption applies.
Pertussis / Whooping cough Pertussis continues to circulate in NZ and there have been several recent cases in our local area.You can read about this illness here:-https://healthify.nz/health-a-z/w/whooping-cough If you have been advised by your whānau's preschool / school that your child might have been exposed to Pertussis, please follow the advice from Public Health contained in the letter you received from your kura.If you have been advised to see your GP team, or someone in your whānau is unwell and you think it might be Pertussis, please call and speak with a nurse. If you need to be seen for an appointment, we will ask you to wear a mask and wait in a safe place to protect others. The GP will assess you/your child and, following Public Health guidelines, determine whether a swab or treatment is appropriate.
Getting the flu vaccine is a great time to also check for and receive any recommended COVID-19 vaccines. Like influenza, COVID-19 is highly contagious and can lead to severe respiratory illness and complications in older people and those with underlying medical conditions. It remains a leading cause of infection related hospitalisations and deaths in Aotearoa New Zealand, particularly for older adults. Once or twice-yearly additional doses of COVID-19 vaccine are encouraged if older or at higher risk of getting sick from COVID-19. These are important because vaccine protection decreases over time, and the vaccine is updated regularly to match changes in the circulating COVID-19 virus. In 2026, the vaccine has been updated to target the LP.8.1 variant.
